Since his 2023 arrival at Elon, Kelly has hosted a ‘listening tour’ and spent time with each department to hear directly from faculty and staff about what they value. Kelly said that common themes soon emerged from those conversations and the new statement reflects dozens of discussions.

Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences new vision statement reads: “The Heart of an Elon Education: Ignite Curiosity, Engage Challenges, Transform Worlds.”

The mission statement then declares:

“Upholding the centrality of the liberal arts, we explore and apply disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge for inquiry, creativity, discovery and problem solving in a complex and changing world.”

The statement lists core values that include accessibility, belonging, critical thinking, diversity, equity and inclusion, integrity, intellectual curiosity, problem-posing and respect for human dignity.

Community Reflections

• “There were several opportunities for different groups, departments, branches, interdisciplinary programs, to discuss versions on the table. It was in those conversations where we might learn how a word or phrase was heard within and across disciplines; where we found convergence, deeper awareness, and respect. The both-and of this process modeled what we value and genuinely captures our shared identity as Elon College.” – Caroline Ketcham, associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of exercise science
• “It was always important to us that this wasn’t a process where faculty were just asked to weigh in at the end, after the real decisions had already been made. From start to finish, it was grounded in listening to what faculty across the college say we do well and what values they believe guide our shared work. Our task wasn’t to invent a mission, vision and values, but to clearly articulate what faculty are already living and leading with. I think that’s why faculty can so readily see themselves and their departments represented in the final statements.” – David Buck, associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and an associate professor of psychology
• “Having shared goals and articulated values helps everyone in the college feel connected as a community, value each other’s work and prioritize our energies on initiatives that matter to us.” – Shannon Duvall, interim associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of computer science
• “I appreciated the collaborative nature of it all, not just between the dean’s office and department chairs, but also extending to faculty members across Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences. It really did involve all of us. What particularly stood out to me were the conversations in our chairs’ meetings with the dean where we came to agreements on core values. It’s inspiring to see that distinctly different types of disciplines uphold the same core values.” – Joel Karty, chair of the Department of Chemistry and �þ���’s Sydney F. & Kathleen E. Jackson Professor of chemistry
• “I appreciated being part of a process that felt genuinely collaborative. Our participation was not merely symbolic. It felt meaningful, and I experienced the dean’s office as truly listening. The process itself was also inspirational, and I feel bolstered in leading my own department through similar work. It was powerful to see such a broad, collective effort take shape into something tangible.” – Samantha DiRosa, chair of the Department of Art and a professor of art and environmental studies
• “The process of creating a new vision statement, mission statement and core values for Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences was both thoughtful and deeply collaborative. Over many months, department chairs worked together to reflect on what makes us distinctive and how best to express those qualities in guiding statements. The process intentionally sought input from across departments, ensuring that everyone in the college had the opportunity to contribute their perspectives. Personally, the time spent reflecting with fellow chairs on what makes each of our departments special fostered a deeper sense of shared purpose and collective commitment.” – Carrie Eaves, chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Policy and associate professor of political science and public policy

Kelly said he was pleased the final language resonated with the faculty in the college.

“The true measure of a successful attempt to lead a group or an organization towards a renewed vision, mission and core values is whether the words and sentiments ‘sound like us’,” he said. “When I heard that some faculty believed my presentation of our vision, mission and core values at our spring faculty meeting ‘sound like us,’ I knew that our work together in small and large group settings was a huge success. It means that stakeholders were heard and that the words resonate so much so that the tune or melody is familiar. The vision, mission and core values reflect truly who we are and where we are going with much intention.”

Community Conversations & Civic Engagement

Deliberative Dialogue – America’s 250: What’s Next America?

Monday, Feb. 23, 4:30 p.m., Lakeside 212

As America marks its 250th year, this dialogue invites reflection on our shared past and the opportunity for diverse voices to share space and ideas to develop a collective vision for the next 250. Sponsored by the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and Political Engagement Work Group

Better Together: Breaking Bread, Building Bridges

Feb. 24 – May 5, every other Tuesday, 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Join us at Better Together this spring for connection and conversation. This time together invites us to live fully in the present and reflect on what makes this moment meaningful. Share stories, explore diverse perspectives, and build community. .

Dr. Habiba Sarabi: Education Rights of Afghan Women

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Alumni Gym

Join a conversation with Dr. Habiba Sarabi on the global impact of Afghanistan’s ban on women’s education and the fight for educational rights and gender equality. Dr. Sarabi, an Afghan politician, women’s rights activist, and medical doctor made history as the first woman to be appointed a provincial governor in Afghanistan, leading Bamyan Province. She previously served as Minister of Women’s Affairs and Minister of Culture and Education, where she focused on expanding education, protecting the environment and advancing the rights of women.

State of the Union Address Watch Party

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 8-10:30 p.m., Moseley 105

Join us for pizza and a live viewing of President Trump’s first State of the Union address of his second term. Come watch, discuss and stay informed. Sponsored by Elon Votes!

Love Your Body, Berry Much

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Lakeside Entrance

Stop by for coconut-lime strawberries and a strawberry mocktail, courtesy of Elon Dining, while also learning tips for mindful eating. Swing through, grab a treat and discover ways to build healthier habits. Visit the for more information.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss – “Man Up: Understanding Misogyny to Prevent Extremism

Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture

Thursday, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m., Numen Lumen Pavilion, McBride Gathering Space

Extremism expert Cynthia Miller-Idriss examines how misogyny – online and off – fuels the rise in far-right and mass violence, and offers strategies for interruption and prevention rooted in everyday life. The Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture honors Lauren, who was set to join Elon’s Class of 2015 before her murder by a former boyfriend in July 2011. Established in her memory, the fund educates the Elon community on healthy relationships and building a culture free from violence. Visit the Spring Cultural Calendar for more information about upcoming events this semester.

Adventure Time with Elon Outdoors!

Adventures in Leadership Summer Staff Positions Available

Applications are now open for summer Adventures in Leadership staff positions, where you’ll guide incoming first-year students through exciting outdoor experiences. Earn potential internship credit and build leadership skills. Apply today on the Elon Job Network!

Elon Challenge

The Elon Challenge is a great way to help classes, teams, organizations, corporations or cohorts grow through building authentic relationships, learning how to manage resources, developing creative thinking, and applying knowledge in new ways. Visit the Elon Challenge website to review the options, gather your group, and complete the interest form to schedule a customized, no-cost experience.

Last Chance to Become an Orientation Leader

Application Deadline is Friday, Feb. 27

The Orientation Leader application is still live. As an OL, you are an integral part of the orientation process. You will play a pivotal role in the transition of all the new students to Elon, serving as a guide and mentor to new students throughout their transition. by this Friday, Feb. 27.

For 36 years, from 1970 until his retirement in 2006, Sullivan was a cornerstone of Elon’s academic community, an intellectual and spiritual guide to countless students and an embodiment of the university’s highest ideals.

“Dr. Sullivan lovingly shaped �þ��� and its academic programs through a career that was thoroughly infused with intellectual and spiritual light,” said �þ��� President Connie Ledoux Book. “He will forever be remembered as one of the greatest faculty members in Elon’s history and his influence endures, like ripples in a pond, through the lives of all he touched.”

President Emeritus Leo M. Lambert said Sullivan, “had a powerful voice that lifted up the most cherished values of the institution. Whether the forum was a meeting of the faculty or the Board of Trustees, John’s wisdom guided us. I always valued his quiet counsel to me.”

A Life of Service and Scholarship

John Sullivan grew up in Newport, Rhode Island, and his intellectual and spiritual journey began in the Catholic priesthood. Ordained in 1963, he studied in Rome during the transformative period of the Second Vatican Council, earning a doctorate in ecclesiastical law from the Pontifical Lateran University. This immersion in one of the great moments of religious reform would shape his lifelong interest in the intersection of wisdom traditions, ethics and lived experience.

After leaving the priesthood, Sullivan earned a doctorate in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, bringing to his academic work the same depth of commitment and spiritual inquiry that had characterized his earlier vocation. When he joined Elon’s faculty in 1970, he brought with him a rare combination of scholarly rigor, pastoral care and philosophical depth that defined his career.

An Extraordinary Educator

Sullivan’s reputation as one of Elon’s most respected teachers was established early and endured throughout his career. In 1979 he received the Daniels-Danieley Award for Excellence in Teaching, the university’s highest honor for �þ��� achievement—a testament to his extraordinary gifts in the classroom. His students found in him not just an instructor, but a guide who could illuminate the great questions of human existence with clarity, compassion and wisdom.

For 18 years, Sullivan chaired the Department of Philosophy, shaping not only individual students but the intellectual culture of the university itself. He was instrumental in developing Elon’s interdisciplinary Honors Program, was a member of the general studies committee that helped revise Elon’s curriculum in 1994, and served as the first coordinator of the Asian-Pacific Studies Program. His influence extended to the university’s governance as well, serving on the 1998 presidential search committee and on Southern Association of Schools and Colleges reaccreditation self-study steering committees across two decades.

Sullivan led Elon’s participation in the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to exploring and advancing the art of �þ��� itself. His selection by the Board of Trustees in 2002 as Elon’s first Distinguished University Professor—an honor bestowed on full professors who have made distinguished contributions to �þ���, scholarship and the university community—represented the culmination of a career dedicated to academic excellence.

A Voice in Times of Crisis

Perhaps no moment better captured Sullivan’s role in the Elon community than the day after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. When Elon students, faculty and staff gathered in Alumni Gym to process their grief and fear, Sullivan was chosen to speak alongside President Lambert and President Emeritus Earl Danieley.

With characteristic insight, Sullivan noted the irony that he had learned of the disaster just as he was about to lead his class in studying Dante’s “Divine Comedy.”

“I said to my students: Today, we are in the dark wood,” he told the gathering. “Today, we are at the gateway to Hell. There it is on the screen. The Manhattan skyline, its twin towers collapsed; clouds of smoke muffling screams of horror.”

But Sullivan did not leave his community in despair. Drawing on Dante’s journey from darkness to light, he reminded those assembled of humanity’s capacity for both evil and good, and offered words that would resonate for years to come: “The simple truth is this: Hate is never overcome by hate. Strange as it seems to so-called realists of any age, hate is only overcome by love.” He concluded with Dante’s own words, invoking “the love that moves the sun and other stars.”

It was quintessential Sullivan—learned, profound, pastoral and ultimately hopeful, offering both philosophical depth and practical wisdom in equal measure.

A Commencement 20 Years in the Making

In May 2002, Sullivan finally delivered the Commencement address he had been preparing for over two decades. Since 1980, he had served as Elon’s backup Commencement speaker, revising and refining his speech each year in case he was needed. He would sit quietly in the faculty section in his academic regalia, his speech folded inside a book, waiting for a moment that never came—until 2002.

When the scheduled speaker, astronaut Mae Jemison, withdrew due to a family illness, Sullivan’s moment arrived. His unusual role as America’s most patient backup speaker caught national attention. The Wall Street Journal ran a front-page story, chronicling Sullivan’s 22-year wait and Elon’s meticulous contingency planning for commencement. The story noted that the 65-year-old religious scholar was “the unofficial dean of the nation’s standby commencement speakers.”

Sullivan maintained an air of mystery about his speeches over the years, refusing to share them even with his wife, Gregg. “It’s the one thing in our marriage we haven’t shared,” he told the Journal. “I always think, maybe the speaker’s plane will be late, or he’ll keel over on the platform, and I’ll come rushing up to save the day, like in the old movies.”

The story also received coverage on CNN and NBC network news, bringing national recognition to both Sullivan and Elon’s thorough preparation for all contingencies.

When Sullivan finally stood at the podium on May 25, 2002, at Elon’s 112th Commencement exercises, he was characteristically humble about the moment. “I’m honored,” he said. “But this is not about me. It’s about graduation—these students who have completed their career here and are going on to new things. We are just their cheerleaders.”

Beyond Elon: Teaching and Healing

Sullivan’s influence extended far beyond Elon’s campus. In 1987, he co-founded the School of Philosophy and Healing in Action (SOPHIA), a program at the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Columbia, Maryland (later Tai Sophia Institute in Laurel, Maryland). The program taught healing principles based on ancient Chinese philosophy and wisdom traditions, reflecting Sullivan’s belief that philosophy was not merely an academic exercise but a path to living more fully and helping others do the same.

Following his retirement from Elon in 2006, Sullivan became principal designer and a faculty member in an innovative master’s program in transformative leadership at Tai Sophia Institute. This program for adult learners applied the lessons of nature and the great wisdom traditions to everyday life, embodying Sullivan’s conviction that education should transform as well as inform.

The Elder as Teacher: A New Chapter

Retirement did not mean withdrawal from �þ��� for Sullivan. Instead, it marked a new chapter in which he explored and embodied what he called “the gifts of later life.” In 2007, he participated in a continuing education program for residents of Blakey Hall, a retirement community near Elon’s campus, �þ��� courses alongside other retired faculty members. He found in this work a different kind of fulfillment.

“When you are in your work life, you have a lot of interactions with colleagues on a day-by-day basis,” Sullivan reflected in 2012. “When you retire, that’s hard to replace.” But �þ��� adult learners, he discovered, offered its own rewards: “You invariably receive more than you give. There is a different sense of what learning can be; you’re freer—you’re now learning for your own deepening, not for a diploma.”

In 2011, Sullivan became chair of the executive board for LIFE@Elon, a university-sponsored program offering learning opportunities to people ages 50 and older. As he explained, the program’s purpose was “to help Elon community members, alumni and friends remain vital in mind and heart.”

“I like being with adult learners,” Sullivan said. “I think they bring so much. Being in touch with people who are older but still vital gives me hope.”

A Philosophy of Aging

Sullivan’s retirement years were marked by deep reflection on the meaning and purpose of life’s later stages. In 2009, he published “The Spiral of the Seasons: Welcoming the Gifts of Later Life,” a poetic meditation that challenged conventional views of retirement and aging. Drawing on the four stages of life from ancient Indian philosophy, Sullivan likened a human lifetime to the four seasons: in spring we are students, in summer we are householders, in autumn we are forest dwellers, and in winter we are invited to become sages.

“Our culture is very much at home in the first half of life,” Sullivan observed. “We are at home in doing, in striving, in achieving. The quest is toward fame and fortune.” But the transition to life’s second half, he maintained, involves simplifying and returning to a fuller relationship with the natural world—what he called “release from striving” and “release from identifying with power and prestige and possessions.”

Sullivan identified three essential tasks of an elder: keeping the little things little and the big things big, encouraging creativity, and blessing the young. Writing from what he called “the perspective of one wanting to enter the arc of descent in conscious, peaceful and joyful ways,” he offered both a philosophy and a practice for aging with grace and purpose.

“I am exploring the opportunities of this phase myself,” he wrote. “I am delighted to have the companionship of fellow explorers.”

A Lasting Legacy

John Sullivan was awarded the Elon Medallion, Elon’s highest honor, in 2008. In 2013 the Board of Trustees named a residence hall in The Oaks neighborhood in his honor. But perhaps his greatest honor can be found in the lives of thousands of students whose lives he touched and transformed. They learned from him not just philosophy, but how to live philosophically—how to ask deep questions, to seek wisdom in multiple traditions, to meet darkness with light and to overcome hate with love.

Sullivan and his late wife, Gregg Winn Sullivan, established the Sullivan-Winn Endowed Scholarship to assist students studying philosophy or the humanities. He was a loyal donor to Elon, with 52 years of giving, including gifts to the endowed scholarship and the Elon Academy.

In a career spanning four decades at Elon and continuing long beyond his retirement from the university, Sullivan exemplified the role of teacher-scholar: learned but humble, rigorous but compassionate, intellectually demanding but pastorally caring. He taught that education was not merely about acquiring knowledge but about becoming more fully human, and that the examined life was indeed worth living.

A memorial service for Sullivan will be held on Saturday, April 18 at 1:30 p.m. at the Community Church of Elon.

Fulbright grantees are not just funded to teach or research—they are expected to serve as valuable cultural ambassadors in their respective host countries, both representing the United States and learning about their new communities.

Fulbright grants are awarded on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. As semifinalists, these Elon students and alumni have been recommended by the National Screening Committee of the Institute of International Education for final consideration by review panels in their respective host countries. Semifinalists will be notified of their final award status this spring, beginning in late March, barring any delays or disruptions at the federal level.

This year’s Fulbright semifinalists are:

Azul Bellot ’26

• Psychology and Sociolinguistics
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Spain

Jo Bogart ’26

• Creative Writing and Classical Studies
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to the United Kingdom

Anya Bratić ’26

• International & Global Studies and Public Policy
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Vietnam

Rony Dahdal ’26

• Computer Science, Math, and Philosophy
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Sweden

Jubitza Figueroa ’21

• Political Science
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Spain

Alex Fleischmann ’26

• Psychology
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to South Korea

Rebecca Lovasco ’26

• Psychology
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Taiwan

Caroline Mitchell ’26

• Middle Grades Math and Special Education
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Bulgaria

Molly Moylan ’26

• Biochemistry
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Spain

Madison Powers ’25

• Journalism
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to Spain

Aryanna Vindas ’25

• Dance Performance & Choreography
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English �þ��� assistantship to South Korea

Elon students and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. To begin the Fulbright application process, please visit the Fulbright Application Process page to register for one of the following virtual Fulbright information sessions during the spring semester:

• Wednesday, March 11 at 4 p.m.
• Thursday, April 9 at 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, May 21 at 12 p.m.

Four �þ��� juniors were inducted last spring into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most prestigious honor society, a testament to their academic achievement and an honor that typically occurs during a student’s senior year.

Mira Fitch ’26, Daisy Martinez-Jimenez ’26, Sara Fritz ’26 and Rony Dahdal ’26 were selected for early induction based on their academic excellence across a broad liberal arts and sciences curriculum, intellectual maturity, scholarly potential, and accomplishments beyond their major fields.

Early induction also provides opportunities for scholarships and fellowships offered through Phi Beta Kappa, leadership positions within the chapter, and expanded professional and academic networks.

“When evaluating juniors for Phi Beta Kappa induction, we are not solely interested in those who meet the eligibility requirements — we are interested in those who have gone above and beyond to demonstrate ‘breadth and depth’ in their commitment to the liberal arts and sciences,” said Anthony Rizzuto, associate professor of chemistry and president of Elon’s Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. “That means junior inductees typically have multiple majors and minors across Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences departments, conducted �þ��� research and have completed far beyond the math and foreign language coursework necessary to just make them eligible.”

Sixty-one �þ��� students overall were inducted in April into Phi Beta Kappa, which has established over 290 chapters at colleges and universities in the United States. Each year, the top 10% of arts and sciences graduates at these institutions are invited for membership.

“These four students serve as role models on campus, showing what it means to balance intellectual curiosity, academic integrity and service,” Rizzuto said. “Their distinction also brings visibility to the university when they pursue fellowships, graduate programs, or other opportunities that highlight the strength of our community.”

Mira Fitch ‘26

Fitch, a political science and statistics major from Lewisville, North Carolina, and a Lumen Prize recipient, said she was surprised and honored to learn of her induction as a junior.

“It is wonderful that Phi Beta Kappa recognizes intellectual curiosity and desire for learning beyond one’s major, even as a junior,” Fitch said. “Recognition through Phi Beta Kappa feels like an honor for my hard work and dedication to my education. A liberal arts education has been essential to my academic journey. I have a wide variety of intellectual interests and access to in-depth learning about all my interests has only deepened my curiosity.”

Fitch said that she has had several meaningful experiences during her time at Elon, including conducting legal research for her Lumen Prize on juvenile transfer — the process through which youth are tried as adults in the criminal court system — and analyzing the factors that contribute to those decisions. She also studied aboard and sang in the university choir at Deustuko Unibertsitatea in Spain. After graduation, she plans to attend law school.

Daisy Martinez-Jimenez ‘26

Martinez-Jimenez, a public policy and economics major from Burlington, North Carolina, described her induction as a great achievement that allowed her to reflect on her academic journey at Elon.

“After I learned I would be recognized a year early, it made me pause and think about the effort and my success in navigating academics, even with courses I was initially nervous about,” said Martinez-Jimenez, a member of the Odyssey Program and recipient of the Douglas and Edna Truitt Noiles ’44 Scholarship. “I have immense gratitude for my professors who have helped me with this achievement.

“From the Department of Political Science and Public Policy, to the Department of Economics, I have found so many professors that serve as my mentors, who have pushed me towards new opportunities and who encourage me when I am doubtful.”

After graduation, Martinez-Jimenez plans to pursue a career in policy research, analysis and advocacy at a nonprofit before earning a master’s degree in public policy or economics.

Sara Fritz ‘26

Fritz, an international and global studies and economics major from West Hartford, Connecticut, said that Phi Beta Kappa will help her with her career endeavors after graduation.

“A liberal arts education was always important to me since no one truly knows what they can excel in until they try it,” Fritz said. “Coming to college, I didn’t know what I wanted to major in and through our liberal arts education, I was able to figure out I had many interests, and I could explore all of them. Phi Beta Kappa represents a support system with Elon professors that I know believe in me academically and personally.”

She shared that she has made many impactful relationships with her professors while at Elon and Phi Beta Kappa has allowed her to meet more faculty within Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences.

“At the chapter meeting this fall, I gained insight into what Phi Beta Kappa really values, which is sponsoring education and promoting excellence,” Fritz said. “This also allowed me to meet more professors and create connections with them. I have enjoyed taking classes with every one of my professors I have had, and I owe where I end up to each one of them.”

Fritz said she hopes to work for a nonprofit as a sustainable economic developer following graduation or receive a Fulbright scholarship to teach in Thailand.

Rony Dahdal ‘26

Dahdal, a triple major in computer science, mathematics and philosophy, from Wake Forest, North Carolina and a Goldwater Scholar and Lumen Scholar, was grateful for the opportunity to be inducted into the chapter as a junior as it was a reminder of the continued support from his mentors at Elon.

“I recall the induction ceremony, and how, now more than ever, the pursuit of knowledge is one of the fundamental ways we can improve the well-being of others,” Dahdal said. “My recognition by Phi Beta Kappa was, and still is, an encouraging push to continue working towards my future as a researcher.”

He noted that the liberal arts exposed him to a variety of subjects at a high-level and allowed him to ask big questions within a diverse set of academic perspectives.

“Phi Beta Kappa’s mission to honor and promote the importance of the liberal arts is aligned with the ‘fully lived life’ they advocate for,” Dahdal said. “It was inspiring to be a part of Phi Beta Kappa as a junior. The honor has helped remind me of the importance within learning and unique truth-seeking that has led to pursue research in the first place.”

After graduation, Dahdal plans to pursue a Ph.D. focused on applied and reliable reasoning agents in fields such as smart healthcare and assisted agriculture.

All programs in the series “Abolition as Presence in Higher Education and Beyond” are free and open to the public.

Tuesday, Nov. 4

A “snack-and-learn” on mandated reporting will feature investigator and strategist Margaux Lander of at 12:30 p.m. in Lindner Hall 206. The discussion aims to understand the current models of mandated reporting with Emancipate NC, an organization that supports people as they free themselves from mass incarceration and structural discrimination. Lander will share strategies to navigate the mandated reporting system while reducing harm and supporting families.

Wednesday, Nov. 12

The series concludes with the annual Reynolds Lecture on Political Theologies of Criminalization, Political Spiritualities of Abolition at 6:30 p.m. in the McBride Gathering Space featuring a conversation with author Andrew Krinks on the religion of criminalization and the religion of abolition from his book “White Property, Black Trespass.”

Assistant Professor Maria Mejia, who is currently �þ��� a philosophy senior seminar on abolition, helped organize the 2025 series with Assistant Professor Archie Crowley in the Department of English and Assistant Professor Amanda Kleintop in the Department of History and Geography.

“Abolition does not just mean getting rid of harmful systems. It also means building lifegiving practices, structures, and communities that help us flourish while reducing and transforming harm,” Mejia said. “We hope this series will nourish connections between the Elon community and abolitionist organizers through which we can redefine safety and foster well-bring for all.”

The series is sponsored by the Elon Fund for Excellence, Turner Theatre, the Division of Inclusive Excellence, Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office, the Title IX Office, and the departments of English, philosophy, and public health, as well as the Women’s and Gender Studies and American Studies programs, the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture & Society, and the Gender & LGBTQIA Center.

Previous activities in the fall series included a “snack-and-learn” led by Assistant Professor Amanda Kleintop; a session titled “Thinking Like an Abolitionist to End Sexual Violence in Higher Education” by visiting scholars Chris Linder and Nadeeka Karunaratne; and a documentary screening of “One Million Experiments” followed by a panel discussion with directors Daniel Kisslinger and Damon Williams of Respair Production & Media, along with local organizers Mona Evans of Benevolence Farms, Amanda Wallace of Operation Stop CPS, and Associate Professor Stephanie Baker.

She presented the work of the Diocesan Commission for the Defense of Nature (CODIDENA), an organization that advocates for the restoration of the identity and spirituality of the Xinka Indigenous people of Central America while protecting nature against extractivist mega-projects. Lemus talked in detail about the case of the peaceful resistance to the Escobal mining project, and their everyday struggles against the government and the mining corporations.

During the talk, she shared the values of her community to protect the earth and how they recognize themselves as Xinka by recovering their language and their culture. She also expressed the difficult reality faced by her community in rural areas as well as the challenges faced by organizers advocating for the Xinka land rights. The talk explored how they were able to stop the development of the mining project after three years of struggle, based on the Indigenous and Tribal People Convention, an international agreement acknowledged by the International Labour Organization, in which indigenous people must be consulted in case of any project affecting their population. In this case, after consulting with the Xinka people, they decided to reject the mining project given the multiple threats to their health and the environment.

Lemus also showed her grassroots initiative with young scientists in the Xinka community to address water contamination issues provoked by mining operations. This project not only capacitates the new generations, but also advocates for an intergenerational collective growth of the whole Xinka people. As a result of this initiative, community members created a system for measuring the degree of contamination in the water, empowering communities to defend themselves in their fight for environmental justice.

Over 50people attended the event. �þ��� from peace and conflict studies, Latin American studies, as well as from different Spanish courses, the Core Curriculum, and philosophy classes learned about the complexity of current environmental struggles in Guatemala. After the talk, students asked several questions regarding the role of the Guatemalan government in this conflict and the recognition of the Xinka identity, engaging in a very fruitful dialogue about the importance of advocating for indigenous rights and environmental justice in peaceful demonstrations. The conference was conducted in Spanish with interpretation performed by Emily Rhyne from the organization Witness for Peace.

Lemus also participated in a roundtable discussion in Spanish with other human rights activists at El Centro. The roundtable focused on Guatemalan history and cultural diversity, generating a constructive dialogue among students learning about Latin American indigenous identities. The speakers talked about the work of their organizations at the local, national and global level, emphasizing the need to construct strong networks of solidarity. �þ��� from the Spanish program engaged in a vivid conversation during the event, learning about the intercultural richness of Central America and the political relevance of the region in relation with the U.S. government today.

This visit was co-organized by the Peace and Conflict Studies program and the Latin American Studies program, and it was sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures; El Centro; the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; International and Global Studies; Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies; the Department of Philosophy; and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

On Sept. 24-25, 2025, Chen-López’s two-day visit invited students to reflect on their understanding of Latin American identity and migration as he shared his innovative research on the representation of Chinese communities in Latin American literature, cinema, and visual arts, which is a topic that opened new perspectives for students and community members across multiple disciplines.

Chen-López’s keynote address, “Affective Mapping: Tracing the Chinese Diaspora in Latin American Literature, Cinema, and Visual Arts,” examined how Chinese identity and history are portrayed in creative works throughout different Latin American countries: Mexico, Costa Rica, and Argentina. His work traces how emotional responses to Chinatowns and Chinese neighborhoods have evolved over time and explores how the very concepts of “China” and “Chineseness” have shifted in response to changing geopolitical dynamics.

The visit extended far beyond a single lecture. Chen-López engaged directly with students in various courses in the classrooms and in El Centro, including “Human Migrations”, “Medical Spanish”, “Growing Up in the Spanish Speaking World”, “In Search of Identity, Innovation and Social Protest Theater”, and COR1100. He also met with student members from the Latin American Studies program, the Spanish Club, and the Chinese Club during a community breakfast, fostering cross-cultural dialogue.

For many students, the presentations sparked revelations about migration patterns they had never considered. Anette Cruz ’28, reflected on how the experience transformed their perspective

“Previously when thinking about migration to Latin American countries it never really came to my head to think about countries like China,” said Cruz. “When I would think about migration, I would think it was mostly within Latin American regions. But after learning about the impact Chinese migration has had on countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Argentina, it really made me think about the significance of it. I was able to see that through symbolism shown to me in Mexican readings, Argentinian movies and Costa Rican paintings, and to me I found that very interesting because again, I feel as if I would have overlooked that if I was presented with it. Overall Chinese diaspora in Latin American countries shown through historical contexts and symbolism in art is something new that I learned today, something that has opened my eyes a little more when talking about migration to Latin American countries.”

Chen-López’s interdisciplinary approach demonstrated how overlooked communities have shaped Latin American culture in profound ways. By examining representations of “China” and “Chineseness” in Latin American art, literature, and film, he sparked a dialogue among students and the broader �þ��� community on the importance of interdisciplinary research and looking beyond dominant narratives to discover the multiple histories of a society.

The Latin American Research Series is presented by Latin American Studies and sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures; Peace and Conflict Studies; El Centro; International and Global Studies; Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; the Department of Philosophy; and Global Films and Cultures.

Five members of faculty and staff in Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, were honored during Planning Week on Aug. 18, 2025, for their excellence in �þ���, scholarship, service-leadership and mentorship.

Recipients of the annual awards are nominated by their colleagues and selected by the College’s dean and associate deans.

“It is an honor to recognize these exceptional faculty and staff,” said Hilton Kelly, dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences. “In their own unique ways, each has demonstrated remarkable dedication to their students, their colleagues and the mission of the College. Their brilliance, creativity and care strengthen our community and create a place where every student feels supported, challenged and inspired to thrive.”

The 2025 College Excellence Award recipients:

Excellence in Teaching Award

Kim Shively

Associate Professor of Performing Arts

Associate Professor Kim Shively has led nationally recognized workshops on consent-based pedagogy across North America and Europe, and she is the co-author of “Applied Meisner for the 21st Century Actor” as well as the forthcoming “The Theatre Artist’s Guide to Consent-Based Pedagogy”. This past year, she mentored Honors Fellows, led a service-learning course in arts education and played a key role in shaping Elon’s theatre curriculum. Her classes are known for their rigor, care and representation where students can feel seen, respected and empowered. Beyond her work in the classroom, she is the cofounder of the Piedmont Shakespeare Company, which launched its inaugural season this summer with “Hamlet”, where Shively played Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother.

Excellence in Scholarship Award

Samuele Pardini

Professor of Italian

Professor Samuele Pardini’s work explores the intersections of Italian American identity, African American history and American literary modernism — making meaningful contributions to national conversations in the humanities. In 2024, he published “Writing Home: Selected WWII Letters of Leslie A. Fiedler”, a work critics called “literary, biographical, cultural and historical gold.” He submitted new scholarship on Sacco and Vanzetti, W.E.B. Du Bois, and the African American press to American Quarterly and presented it at the National MELUS conference. His work also included multiple essays in The Brooklyn Rail and a keynote address at Morgan State University honoring the centennial of James Baldwin. Beyond publishing, he mentors students, serves on research and curriculum advisory boards and continues to shape emerging fields like Black Mediterranean and comparative diaspora studies.

Excellence in Service-Leadership Award

CJ Fleming

Chair of the Department of Human Service Studies and Associate Professor of Psychology

The scholarly contributions of Associate Professor CJ Fleming, chair of the Department of Human Service �þ���, span departments and shape programs that benefit faculty and students throughout the university. She has strengthened Elon’s internship and research infrastructure as Faculty Fellow for Internships and associate director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, preparing 37 students to present at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research and co-authoring the Elon Statement on Work-Integrated Learning. A champion for equity in experiential learning, she has mentored nationally recognized student researchers, supported faculty in expanding career readiness, and helped shape Elon’s National �þ���. Drawing on her training as a clinical psychologist, she has provided thoughtful guidance on key student well-being committees.

Excellence in Mentoring Award

Elisha Savchak-Trogdon

Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy

For more than a decade, Associate Professor Elisha Savchak-Trogdon has mentored students pursuing careers in pre-law. As the university’s pre-law advisor, she offers strategic, personalized guidance—from first conversations about legal careers to law school acceptances and scholarships—mentoring students across majors, class years, and even after graduation. She leads the Legal Professions Scholars program, designed a course on global legal rights, and now advises the 3+2.5 Accelerated Law Program with Elon Law, guiding fast-tracked future lawyers with care and structure. Through panels, programming, and one-on-one advising, she creates a supportive community where students feel prepared, confident, and seen.

Staff Excellence Award

Morgan Troxler

Program Assistant for Political Science & Public Policy, Philosophy & Religious Studies

Since joining the �þ��� community in December, Morgan Troxler has balanced the needs of and contributed additional organization and efficiency to all three departments. Known for completing tasks ahead of schedule and with care and precision, she demonstrates responsiveness and a commitment to faculty and student success. As one department chair noted, their program would be lost without her.

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Christophe Robert Van Riet ’25, known affectionately as “Robby” to friends, didn’t expect to be graduating from �þ��� with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a minor in art. One, because he came to Elon as a business major, and two, because he faced a serious medical setback that could have derailed his entire academic career.

“Graduating is such a surreal experience, and I feel really proud and fortunate that everything was able to work out the way it did,” said Van Riet. “It wasn’t easy, but it makes me feel like anything is possible if you give it a good shot.”

‘Philosophically curious’

Van Riet, who is from Dover, Massachusetts, originally wanted to study business after being inspired by his father’s work running a chocolate company. Then, at the beginning of his second year, he took a philosophy course that sparked his interest.

“I was super interested in being able to talk to other people about different questions, and I was very philosophically curious about the way the world worked,” said Van Riet. “And I felt that people didn’t really ask a lot of the questions that I’ve always been wondering.”

But when Van Riet went home for winter break, a health concern led to an extensive surgery, but he didn’t stop his work at Elon. Lauren Guilmette, associate professor of philosophy, created an independent study during Winter Term to help keep him on track.

“She did an existential philosophy course, which was really helpful for me at the time because when I was amidst all this, facing my mortality and having such a crazy experience where I feel like I could have almost died, I’m realizing how valuable human life is,” said Van Riet.

Guilmette says Van Riet was already an exceptional student in her “Ancient Philosophy” course, so it was an honor to help him with the Winter Term course.

“It was among the most profound �þ��� experiences I have had to read these texts with Robby as he thoughtfully and bravely worked through them, making artworks as well as writing short reflections in response to questions that can be daunting even when one is in good health,” said Guilmette. “I admired how Robby worked through this very difficult moment in his own life, and I am proud and delighted for him to be now graduating from Elon.”

The stars aligned

After Winter Term, Van Riet was required to spend time in the hospital, forcing him to take a pause at Elon. He came out on the other side still determined to graduate with the Class of 2025 – but majoring in philosophy.

“The stars aligned and it came to be,” he said. “Philosophy is really what helped me get through a lot of things.”

Van Riet says he found strength in Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations and the works of French existentialists, such as Sartre and Camus.

“Sartre’s quote, ‘man is nothing more than his plan,’ really became something I lived by,” said Van Riet. “It helped me believe that even in moments of uncertainty, I could still choose action, purpose and direction. That mindset helped me do things I once thought were impossible or that others might’ve thought were.”

Even after his hospital stay, Van Riet still needed to travel to Boston once per month to see his doctors, and Elon’s Study USA program made it possible. During his third year, Van Riet participated in the Elon in New York program, where he could easily travel back to Boston for treatment.

“I really loved just being in such an iconic city and the grandeur of the city, how everything was so electric and fast moving,” said Van Riet. “It felt really nice to be somewhere where everybody was doing something cool.”

While Van Riet still has his mind set on the business world after graduation, he also wants to explore his creative side. He was recently accepted to TAPIF (Teaching Assistant Program in France), through which he will be �þ��� English for seven months in the country, one he felt drawn to after studying French existentialists.

“You can’t control everything, but the things you can control are the things you should focus on,” said Van Riet of his time at Elon. “Don’t try to change the current, but you can always learn to surf the waves.”